Vengeance
by Soquilii
Summary: Eliot Spencer, Alec Hardison and Parker are now the Leverage team. Nate and Sophie, long retired, reside blissfully somewhere in Europe. The team of three has persisted, building their justice-for-hire empire to encompass several countries. Leverage International, Hardison's dream, was now a reality. Now, an old nemesis is back.


Vengeance Summary: An old nemesis is after the team. Story is to be posted as chapters are written.

**SPENCER RESIDENCE, PORTLAND, OREGON**

Eliot Spencer normally slept, so he claimed, only ninety minutes a day. However, last night had involved a dinner date with a beautiful redhead followed by a soccer game, some heavy drinking and Eliot's favorite dessert, a rumpled-sheet all-nighter. When the phone rang at six o'clock the next morning, he had been dead to the world for an unheard-of three hours straight. It had to be a wrong number or a damned solicitor. Ignoring it, he growled and burrowed deeper under the covers. The beautiful redhead lying at his side stirred slightly at the noise, rolled over and went back to sleep.

The phone continued jangling its insistent tone.

Eliot sighed and reached for the flat piece of technology he briefly considered hurling across the room. He dragged his finger across the screen and placed it to his ear. 'Yeah,' he said, groggily, keeping his eyes shut.

'Still in bed? You're gettin' soft!'

'Vance!' Instantly alert, Eliot sat up and swung a leg out from beneath the covers. He flicked his long hair back out of his face. 'Hey, son, how ya doin?'

'Awake; dressed; at my desk being productive. And here you are, still in bed.'

'Well, hell, it's…' Eliot peered blearily at the clock, '…nine AM where you are. That is, if you're still in DC.'

'That's affirm.'

'You've prob'ly had y'little breakfast with fruit and danish and a nice cup o'coffee,' Eliot jeered good-naturedly.

'What'd you have, Eliot, a blonde?'

'Naw, a redhead this time.' Eliot, grinning, eyed the soft form beneath his blanket. He ran a light hand over what he thought was her hip. She was sound asleep, lightly snoring.

'Ahhh,' Vance grinned knowingly. 'Listen, you seen the paper? It's gotta be national news.'

'Vance, gimme a break, I just woke up. I don't even know where the fucking paper _is_. What.'

'Our _friend_ was released yesterday morning. The one my _favorite little dance team_ brought down some years back. Got ya shot up; I _know_ you remember that.'

Eliot pinched his top lip in concentration, thinking back over five years…then it hit him. 'No shit. You talkin' 'bout Udall? Terror by influenza? _That_ bastard?'

'The one and only.'

'Hell, Vance, he ain't been in lockup that long.'

'You tellin' me? He's made nice all these years and then his shark-in-a-suit pulled a rabbit out of a hat.'

Eliot sighed. His expression was grim. 'Goddamn justice system.'

'Y'got that right, brother.'

'Ok, so, now what?'

'Well…as far as I can determine, he's got nothing; just a toothless, homeless, declawed, neutered tomcat who's learned his lesson, fades away and dies…and the sooner the better.'

'I'd like to think that, too, but…'

A pause ensued as both men considered the situation, nearly 3,000 miles apart.

'Yeah, I know, that _but_ is on both our minds. Just a warning, brother. Keep alert.'

'You too, Vance. Thanks for the heads up. And hey, next time you call…'

'I know, I know,' Vance chuckled. 'Later in the day. See ya, buddy.'

'See ya.'

Eliot set the phone down, grinning. It was always good to hear from Vance, even if it _was_ bad news. He ran a hand over the gnarled scar on his left thigh and glanced down at the second one on his right shoulder. They and all the other scars that peppered his body ached in cold weather but he tended to forget their origin. He hadn't thought of Udall in years. Old bastard.

He shook it all off. No sense worrying about trouble that hadn't happened yet; that might never happen. He wormed back beneath the covers and snuggled next to his redhead. She awoke, responding to his gentle touch. He set about changing the course of the way his day was starting out for the better.


End file.
